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FAMU football vs Southern: Can the Rattlers get a bounce back win, start new SWAC streak?
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- FAMU football vs Southern: Can the Rattlers get a bounce back win, start new SWAC streak?
Florida A&M football returns to Bragg Memorial Stadium for the first time in nearly two months.
The Rattlers (3-3, 1-1 in SWAC) are set for a Southwestern Athletic Conference bout with the Southern Jaguars (4-3, 3-0 in SWAC) on Saturday at 7 p.m.
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Fans who can't attend in person can watch the Week 9 game on ESPN Plus or tune into the Rattlers mobile application audio broadcast.
FAMU is fresh off a 35-21 loss at Jackson State last Saturday, which moved the Rattlers to No. 3 in the SWAC East standings. The loss ended FAMU's 17-game SWAC winning streak , which spanned two years.
On the other hand, Southern defeated Alcorn State 24-14 to remain undefeated in the SWAC and stay atop the West division.
FAMU hasn't played at home since Aug. 31, when the Rattlers defeated South Carolina State 22-18 in Week 1.
So, the FAMU versus Southern SWAC rivalry game is a highly-anticipated contest as the Rattlers make their long-awaited return to Bragg.
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Let's get familiar with the teams and predict the winner.
Florida A&M vs Southern: Tale of the Tape
Florida A&M Rattlers' defensive back Kendall Bohler (3) intercepts the ball as Jackson State Tigers' wide receiver Joanes Fortilien (16) tries to catch it during the game in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.
Records
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FAMU (3-3) ― Last Game: L, 35-21 at Jackson State
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Southern (4-3) ― Last Game: W, 24-14 vs Alcorn State
Head Coaches
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FAMU: James Colzie III (3-3)
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Southern: Terrence Graves (6-3 all-time, 5-3 at Southern)
Players to Watch
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FAMU: Wide Receiver A'Ceon Cobb, Cornerback Kendall Bohler
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Southern: Running Back Kobe Dillion, Linebacker Vincent Page Jr.
Team Historical Accolades
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FAMU: 17 claimed national championships (16 Black College, one NCAA Division I-AA)
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Southern: Nine claimed Black College Football National Championships
All-Time Series
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FAMU leads Southern 36-26-1
Last Matchup
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FAMU 26, Southern 19 (2023)
Florida A&M vs Southern: Meet the Teams
Southern Jaguars' head coach Terrence Graves watches during the game against the Jackson State Tigers in Jackson, Miss., on Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024.
That was a tough loss that FAMU took last week at Jackson State.
However , hope is still alive for the Rattlers to re-enter the SWAC East race if they win out and Jackson State loses twice before the regular season ends.
FAMU's strength has been its passing offense, led by quarterback Daniel Richardson , being amongst the top of multiple Football Championship Subdivision statistical categories.
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FAMU falls short at its rushing game, 11th of 12 in the SWAC, and run defense, which is uncharacteristically 10th in the SWAC.
On the other hand, Southern still controls its destiny, leading the SWAC West with a perfect 3-0 record. Southern won its three SWAC games, two of which were overtime victories, and then its 10-point win over Alcorn State last week.
Southern has the third-best offense in the SWAC, fueled by a balanced attack. However, expect Southern to run the ball even more against FAMU's vulnerable run defense.
Defensively, Southern has the FCS' sixth-best unit, which is first in the SWAC in defending the pass.
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Florida A&M vs Southern: Who will win?
FAMU versus Southern typically provides an HBCU homecoming vibe, with these teams building a rivalry through its 63 matchups.
For the Rattlers to prevail, they must play a complete game for all four quarters as the Jaguars have proved they can win in late game situations.
But FAMU can win late, too. The team displayed that in its home-opening comeback win over South Carolina State nearly two months ago.
After 56 days of not playing at Bragg, expect a motivated FAMU football team fresh off a loss to start a new SWAC streak to keep its hopes alive of catching up in the East division race.
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FAMU 25, Southern 13
BOLD PREDICTION: FAMU will rush for over 100 yards against Southern's sixth-best defense in the nation.
Florida A&M vs. Southern ― Week 9, SWAC
When: Saturday, Oct. 26 at 7 p.m. Eastern Time
Where: Bragg Memorial Stadium; Tallahassee, Florida
Broadcast: ESPN Plus, Rattlers mobile app
Tickets: Purchase Here
Gerald Thomas, III is a multi-time award-winning journalist for his coverage of the Florida A&M Rattlers at the Tallahassee Democrat.
Follow his award-winning coverage on RattlerNews.com and contact him via email at GDThomas@Tallahassee.com or on the app formerly known as Twitter @3peatgee .
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This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: FAMU football vs Southern: Who will win the highly-anticipated SWAC game?
